Combined folding stool and table.



O. FLORIAN. COMBINED FOLDING STOOL AND TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1911.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

ONORATO FLORIAN,

0F GENOA, ITALY.

COMBINED FOLDING STOOL AND TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Application filed June 17, 1911. Serial No. 633,822.

bined folding stool and table, particularly applicable for use on board ships, trains, or the like, where the space is limited and where the deck or floor upon which the device stands is occasionally thrown out of a horizontal plane.

The objects of my invention are to provide a foldable device which is provided I with a suitable base structure supporting a seat and a table, or chair portion in convenient proximity therewith, that the latter may serve the user as in eating, writing, etc., the relation of parts being such that when folded, the device occupies a minimum space consistent with the simplicity of construc tion and rigidity of the structure when erected.

Further objects of my invention are to provide means for retaining articles, such as dishes, basins, or the like from slipping from the tray portion when the plane thereof is inclined to the horizontal, and to so arrange the tray portion, when not in use as a table, to act as a back for the stool thereby forming a chair therefrom.

I attain these objects by the construction and arrangements of parts shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device erected. Fig. 2 is a side elevation show ing the same in a folded position. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a slight modification of the device. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the device as shown in Fig. 3 and in a folded position.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the views.

In the drawings, 2 designates what I hereinafter term forward complementary legs of the base structure of the device and 2', the rearward complementary legs thereof, and all of which may be formed of bandiron with a portion 2 bent at right angles at the bottom end to add to the rigid foundation of the structure. The legs are pivoted at 9 and the complementary legs are connected by stays 10 which may be formed integral with the legs as shown in Fig. 1,

forward end, or with rounds as shown in Fig. 3.

One margin of a seat member 1 is carried by the forward complementary legs 2. at one of the stays 10, and is provided, at the opposite margin, with a detachable round 5, which, as shown in Fig. 1, is designed to enter apertures 12 formed in the rearward complementary legs 2. If desired, and as shown in Fig. 3, the rod 5 may be rigidly carried by the legs and a hook member detachably arranged to engage the rod to retain the seat in an extended position.

While I have herein described specific means for retaining the seat portion in position with respect to the base structure it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, except for such limitation as the claims import.

A table or tray, designated generally by 3, is provided with brackets 3 which are of angle shape and extend laterally from the margin of the table or tray and then down wardly, the downwardly extending portions being pivoted to the rearward complementary legs 2, by pins 4, below the top of the latter. Thus, the bracket 3, by engaging the rod 5, may hold structure 3 in a table serving position, or it may be swung upwardly as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawing, to serve as a back .rest in connection with the seat. Inasmuch as the structure is foldable, the flexible seat portion 1 is of a predetermined length so that it permits the upper ends of the legs 2 and 2 to be separated, in assembling the device, sufliciently that the relative engagement of the brackets 3 with the rod 5, will position the structure 3 in substantially a horizontal plane to serve as a table, as shown in the drawing. In other words, it will be obvious from the drawing, that if the seat 1 is not of a predetermined length to provide for the proper positioning of the table 3, and is longer, then the legs 2 and 2 may be separated to such an extent that the rod 5 lies too far laterally of the vertical plane of the pins 4 and the table assumes an inclined position downwardly from the stool, and similarly, if the seat 1 is too short, then the rod 5 is positioned too close to the vertical plane of the pins 4 and the table 3 cannot move to a horizontal plane,but is retained in an upwardly inclined position with respect to the stool.

The tray or table 3 may be formed with a service portion 13 suitably apertured as at 14, to retain a dish or basin, the angle members 3 may be continued around the service portion forming a margin 15 to further prevent articles from falling when the tray is inclined to the horizontal. A suitable cover 6 may also be provided to fit over the opening 14 to present a smooth surface for writing or the like. As indicated in Fig. 3, the tray structure may be retained in a position with relation to the seat so as to form a back rest therefor. Such position of retention may be accomplished by a hook 7, pivoted to the tray structure and adapted to enter an aperture 8 in the legs 2 of the base structure.

From the foregoing description it is made manifest that I provide a device which may be arranged to serve as a combined stool or table, or as a chair, and when not in use may be folded to occupy a very small space, as compared with similar articles serving like purposes.

I claim 1. A combined stool and table comprising in combination, a base structure including forward and rearward complementary legs, pivoted to each other intermediate their ends, whereby the structure may be folded or extended, a table or service portion, brackets provided with downwardly extending portions projecting below the face of said table or service portion and rigidly carried thereby, means pivoting the said downwardly extending portions of said brackets below the upper ends of two of the complementary legs of said base structure and intermediate the said legs, a rod carried by the said two complementary legs adjacent their upper ends and in proximity to engage said brackets to limit movement thereof in one direction, and a flexible seat portion of predetermined length connecting said rod at one end and the complementary legs opposite therefrom at the other end, whereby the said base structure is permitted to extend with the relative engagement of said rod and brackets positioning the latter to dispose said table or service portion in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said seat portion.

2. A combined stool and table comprising in combination, a base structure including forward and rearward complementary legs, pivoted to each other intermediate their ends, whereby the structure may be folded or extended, a table or service portion,

vmeans pivoting said table or service portion to the said rearward complementary legs permitting the former to be swung rearward of said base structure to serve as a table with respect thereto, or to act as a back rest for the same, mechanism for re taining the said table or service portion in a table serving position with respect to said base structure, and a device adapted to rigidly connect said table or service portion and said rearward complementary legs, to retain the former in a position acting as a back rest for said base structure.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presenceof two witnesses.

ONORATO FLORIAN. Witnesses P10 RINALDINI, ANGELO MORAGNES. 

